Re: The Distance Lane

the goal was to work on switching from aerobic swimming to fast and back to aerobic (no breaks until after the first set before the kick started)

This is a more formal, pool-oriented way to get at an approach frequently recommended for OW: pick up the pace (sprint*) for 1/4 to 1/3 of the total time. Different applications of the principle are possible: for a shortish, 1- or 2-mile swim, 9 sprint strokes, 30 regular, say; but for a Channel crossing it might be sprint 15 minutes out of the hour.

It helps to be able to turn on and off the sprint pace for long pool swims as well. I did two consecutive 1000 yds and used the sprint technique mindfully on the second (totally forgot about it on the first!), dropping my time by 5%, even though I was tired.

*Note: "Sprint" in such cases probably means something different to distance people. For example, we still breathe.

Re: The Distance Lane

I find that 50s and 100s don't provide the mental discipline I need. I like to keep my repeats in the 200-500 range.

Today's key set: 8 x 300 on an interval that gave me about 10 seconds rest.

There was a good discussion in past year on how to train for 500s. As I recall, the basic unit was around 125 yd, with short rest. I'll try to find it in next day or so and post a link (deadlines now).
Do you have a goal pace for the 8 x 300, or a specific way of splitting them?

Re: The Distance Lane

Originally Posted by ViveBene

There was a good discussion in past year on how to train for 500s. As I recall, the basic unit was around 125 yd, with short rest. I'll try to find it in next day or so and post a link (deadlines now).
Do you have a goal pace for the 8 x 300, or a specific way of splitting them?

I remember the 500 thread. There was some good info that can be applied to training for the 1650/1500.

I have a goal in mind depending on where I am in my training and how I feel. I had wanted to hold 3:36/1:12 on the 3:50 (SCY). That wasn't happening yesterday. I averaged ~3:40/1:13.3.

I seem to do better with either descending very slightly into the set or holding a goal time. I'm not too good at big descending sets.

Re: The Distance Lane

Interesting discussion on fartlek or episodic sprinting during open-water training.

It took me a long time (a few years) of lake swimming to realize that I shouldn't be just swimming at cruise pace the whole time. So I started modeling my lake swims after distance running workouts -- some easy, some tempo, some intervals. I know nothing about recommended open-water training approaches, so I'd love to hear what other people do.

My intervals are usually something like N strokes fast, then N or 2N strokes slow. N is 10 to 100.

Re: The Distance Lane

Building distance for the Chesapeake race in June. Did 8,000 yards on Sunday as my long swim of the week. Other days range between 3,600 and 4,200 yards. My plan is to increase my long swim by 1,000 yards until I hit 10,000.

Sunday's workout was a long warm up with some pace and technique work, a main set of 6,000 and an EZ cool down. Main set as follows

8 x (300 moderate, 200 strong, and 100 sprint) with a brief rest between swims and a slightly longer rest at the end of each set

Re: The Distance Lane

Originally Posted by tjrpatt

this was home back in my age group days. We would warmup and then, I would have to head over to the distance lane. But, I do like training distance stuff nowadays.

Swimming distance definitely grew on me. In high school I hated it. When I got to college and the coach talked with us about where he saw us training, I wished fervently that I would be put int he sprint group (which did next to nothing). Turns out, the sprint group couldn't hold it together for more than 75 yards, and since I love the 200s, I found my niche in the upper mid distance/distance group and realized putting int he long yards wasn't all that bad, as it paid big dividends at Conferences.